Michael Hampson - OBI recipient who passed away after the pilot was cancelled. Photo Credit: Jesse Golem
Most Ontarians know that in 2017 the Wynne government launched the Ontario Basic Income (OBI) pilot in Hamilton, Lindsay and Thunder Bay. With 4,000 participants, this was the largest Basic Income (BI) study ever carried out.
Then, in 2018, the Ford government abruptly cancelled the pilot. Participants were given an eight months grace period before receiving their final OBI payment. However, Ford immediately terminated all data collection and never analysed the qualitative nor quantitative data already compiled.
McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction (HRPR) took up the mantle and issued the report, Southern Ontario’s Basic Income Experience, which proved OBI recipients were healthier, happier and continued working while participating in the pilot.
Meanwhile, Hamilton photographer, Jessie Golem – also an OBI participant – began documenting the ways OBI impacted lives. Golem photographed over 65 recipients who held up pieces of Bristol board with hand printed descriptions of how Basic Income (BI) changed their lives in simple, yet brilliantly remarkable ways.
Golem’s project, Humans of Basic Income, became the impetus for documentary filmmakers Luke Mistruzzi and Simon Brothers to create their award-winning documentary, A Human Picture.
“A Human Picture captures the story of how four lives were transformed during the Ontario Basic Income Pilot. The short film shows audiences the raw and real impact of how a basic income can make a difference in countless ways,” said Tom Cooper, Director of the HRPR, via email.
This lovingly crafted film shares the experiences of Golem, Tim Button, Tessa Soderberg and Rhonda Castello. Woven through those lived experiences are the voices of Cooper; NDP MP Leah Gazan who introduced Private Member’s Bill C-223, titled: National Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income Act; Floyed Marinescu, Founder of CEOs for Basic Income; as well as former Senator Hugh Segal who recognized that poverty is a non-partisan issue and relentlessly championed a BI.
“I hope [A Human Picture] will help audiences see that we can make it happen again – if we have the courage and tenacity to demand it of our political leaders,” Cooper added.
I encourage you to listen to my interview with Mistruzzi who shares thoughtful observations, insights and actions for Small Change listeners to undertake.
I also hope that our conversation will inspire you to bring together a group of friends to watch this moving 16-minute documentary.
In fact, why not make a movie night of it! Watch the film over hors d’oeuvres – because if you’re mouth is full then you can’t talk and you’re less likely to miss a single, important word.
Then, share a potluck dinner while discussing what you’ve learned from the film; how your perception of ‘deserving poor vs undeserving poor’ has changed; the positives vs negatives of a BI – I’ll be floored if you find any negatives; and specific actions you can take as an individual, and as a group, to help make a BI a reality for Canadians.
Here's one last thought to spice up your dessert discussion. There’s a BI model floating about that would ensure every eligible Canadian between 17 and 64-years of age receives $20,000 annually to cover basics like shelter, food and transportation.
Each BI recipient could then earn an additional $20,000 without facing any claw backs or paying taxes.
Above that $40,000 threshold, for every $3 earned $1 would be clawed back.
Once the combined income for an individual surpasses $80,000 annually, taxation kicks in.
Here’s the icing on the cake, the Federal Budget Office estimates a BI would cost $51 billion. That is far less than CERB which cost $82 billion. It’s even well below the $80 billion poverty currently costs Canadians annually just to keep it on track and thriving.
That plan of inaction has remained in place since the 1930s when the social credit party – precursor of the NDP -- first suggested a BI. Unfortunately, successive federal and provincial Liberal and Conservative governments have chosen to not solve the issue of poverty, opting instead to let charities and corporations profit from it. Because, let’s face it, poverty is big business if you hold all of the resources.
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Book a screening of A Human Picture.
Find out more about Power Line Films.
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Mistruzzi and Brothers are also part of the art collective A Common Collective. Follow them on Instagram.
Check out the folks who thrived on OBI pilot and were part of Jessie Golems Humans of Basic Income.
For more information check out Basic Income Canada Network.
Find out more and share your basic income experiences at #BasicIncomeWorks.
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